Then And Now

The top foto is what Winter usually looks like around here. Then there is today. Hard to believe, but it feels like Spring.
 

What Can You See In A Raindrop?

The weather here has been unseasonably mild. Today seemed more like April. It was the first time we'd had any sustained sunshine in weeks.  Lots of people were out walking with bemused looks on their faces. Pretty nice for 57 latitude in December.

 

Clouds On A Summer Day

Time for some more sunshine views to cheer us up here in the December gloom. Someday the sun will return and I can show you what a white winter looks like around here. It can be quite beautiful.

Time For Some Sun

It's been pretty much endless gray days here in Latvia as northern Europe continues its mildest weather in years. The bears are confused about hibernating, the birds are confused about flying, and the bushes are confused about budding. This is Seattle weather for December. We're usually blanketed in snow for the duration by now. I much prefer the white, sunny world to this damp, gray one. With less than eight hours of daylight right now we need all the help we can get keeping our spirits up. So, it's pleasing to look at pictures from last summer to remember what sunshine and flowers look like.

President Bush was in Riga earlier this week for the NATO summit. It was a holiday here and all the Old Town core streets were restricted. I think the President likes Latvia. It's one of the few countries that still welcomes him. The Cold War didn't end that long ago here. Now with the poisoning of Litvenenko in London, the world is getting a taste of the Russian approach to perceived international threats that the Latvians know only too well.